Question regarding restores from tape and incremental backup

[erth111]

Hi,
I've deleted a backup file of a VM from my repository. I still have a full backup file on the tape. The thing I want to do is to restore the backup from tape to repository and then perform incremental backup of the VM. After I restored the backup to the repository it appears as "job_name_imported" in the list of backup on disk. My question is: will the backup job detect it as a full backup and perform only incremental backup of the VM?

[veremin]

Does the restored backup have a corresponding .vbm stored along with it? If so, you can map the backup job to the restored backup chain. This way, only the incremental run will be performed. Thanks.

[erth111]

No, there is no .vbm file in the folder. There is only one .vbk file. When is this file created and why I don't have it?

[veremin]

VBM is backup metadata file that stores information about the backup job, VMs that are stored in the backup, number of backup files/restore points, and so on. It's also used during backup import and map operation. Whenever you run backup job (apart from VeeamZIP), the vbm file is always created. I'm not sure why the .vbm file has not been copied to tape mediums. What type of tape job you're using? Backup to tape or File to Tape one? With the letter, it might be possible that the said file wasn't selected as a source for the tape job, and,therefore, wasn't archived.

I believe you can PM one of the following guys and they will provide the custom tool that allows you to re-create missing .vbm file (Timothy Dewin, Tom Sightler).

Thanks.

[erth111]

Thank you. The tape job type was "backup to tape".

[veremin]

Then, the .vbm file should have been definitely copied to tape mediums. How did you get corresponding backup data from tapes? Thanks.

[erth111]

I navigated to Backups -> Tape -> chose the vm from backup object -> restore backup from tape to repository. I don't see the vbm file when i click "properties" on the backup object on tape. Just vbk an vib files.

When i click "properties" on other backups on Disk I also only see vbk and vib files, no vbm.

Note: I'm using v7 R2 with vmware 5.1

I opened support case [ID#00540424]

[veremin]

I've clarified the information about archiving .vbm file, and I have to say that we are not writing this file to tape media. There are several reasons behind this decision, such as the fact that .vbm gets updated on everyday basis, and having multiple .vbm files on tapes might break restore procedures. Also, sometimes part of the backup chain stored on tapes might become corrupted due to internal tape issues, meanwhile, the other part might be more than ok. In this case, restoring part of the chain along with .vbm file wouldn't be a feasible idea due to .vbm file having references to broken part of the chain, etc.

So, the best option would be to contact the aforesaid guys and get ".vbm-recreator" from them.

Thanks.

[tdewin]

Vladimir, mine only updates

But check out this post:
http://forums.veeam.com/veeam-backup-re ... tml#p90727

[veremin]

Oh, this detail must have slipped out of my attention.

Then, the Tom Sightler would be a right person to contact, as the script previously written by Seth doesn't seem to work in version 7.

Thanks.